Posted on 03/27/2007 6:54:24 AM PDT by Ellesu
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) March 27 - The head of Oklahoma's Republican Party is asking for a recall of the states lottery. Chairman Tom Daxon says the Oklahoma Lottery has not worked out as voters were led to believe.
Officials supported the lottery as a way to raise extra money for public schools and state colleges and universities. A spokesman for Democratic Governor Brad Henry says if Daxon wants the lottery recalled, quote, "he should have at it."
Daxon says lottery revenue has consistently been below expectations and that shortfalls have forced lawmakers to dip into other sources to fund education. He also says the increase in state gaming has led to a variety of social problems.
I can understand, on some level, not wanting to promote gambling in any form for a variety of ethical and moral reasons. But shutting down the lottery because it's not earning enough money seems like a sure fire way to make sure there's even less money available for education in the short term. I think there's another part of the problem that should be looked at first.
Having said that, does anyone know exactly what percentage of the lottery goes to the winners and what percentage of the lottery actually goes to education?
Thirty percent of the total proceeds goes into the Education Lotters Trust Fund, which is then disbursed as follows:
45 % to Kindergarten through 12th grade
45 % to tuition grants and scholarships for higher ed
5% teachers retirement
5 % School consolidation & assistance fund.
Presumably, the other 70 % goes to winner payouts, overhead, and prolly a little graft'n and corrupt'n.
Actually it's a tax on stupid people. If I go to Vegas to gamble, at least there is an entertainment component to it. But playing the lottery is just throwing money away.
Lottery is a VOLUNTARY tax. I am all for that.
The lottery is a PRODUCT.
Lottery winnings are taxed.
The Okie elect...bit on the prediction numbers bait...and, of course, like has happened in other states..( CA ) They then, like drunken teenage kids with dad's car keys decided in their infinite wisdom to spend "that money" elsewhere...without having it first. Now they are in a pickle.
Of course the edumacation/NEA okies are now demanding MORE funding....
Lotteries in many states have been promoted as a way of giving extra funding to schools and other government programs. What has happened in some states is that, over time, the legislators have pulled back funding from schools coming from property, income, and sales taxes, so that the lottery is no longer giving additional funding to programs, it's just providing the funding that used to come from other sources.
It's also a sure fire way to elect a Democratic government in a Republican state, a la South Carolina.
>in their infinite wisdom to spend "that money" elsewhere...without having it first.<
The people want it NOW, not tomorrow.
Nope...not NOW. They want it YESTERDAY. : )
Interesting article and comments. Thanks for posting.
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